In wired or fiber systems, there is primarily only one signal path which provides a clean, non-interfering channel through which the signal propagates. In wireless communication systems, signal propagation is mainly by way of scattering from the surfaces of buildings, cars, trees, walls and furniture and by diffraction over and/or around these objects, causing the transmitted signal to arrive at the receiver via multiple paths through the air. The collection of propagation paths traversed by the signals from the transmitter to the receiver is called the channel. Due to the multipath effect, signals may arrive in-phase or out-of-phase with one another and at varying amplitude levels. To further complicate matters, as the physical objects within the channel move (i.e. the receiver, transmitter or objects in the path between the transmitter and receiver), the channel changes. This provides a time-varying component to almost all wireless channels. The effect of this time-varying channel is a time-varying received signal amplitude and phase at the receiver. Without using techniques to compensate for this variation, extra signal-to-noise margin must be maintained at the receiver to ensure reliable communications.
Diversity is one technique used to combat time-varying channel effects. Diversity may be used in any combination within the time, frequency, polarization, or spatial domains. Simple diversity techniques can provide tremendous improvements in the signal level at the receiver.
The key, as in any technique, is to provide the maximum benefit for the minimum penalty (size, cost, etc.).